Onstage

Oprah Heads For Inevitable EGOT with Role in Broadway's ’night, Mother

Oprah Winfrey could spend the rest of her days doing yoga on a hilltop in Hawaii, or touring the world in a helicopter, or literally anything else you can imagine. Instead, she’s committing to the grueling hours and tough critics of Broadway. The New York Times has it that the mega-mogul is in talks to star in a Broadway revival of ‘night, Mother, the Marsha Norman two-hander about a divorced woman, living with her mother, who announces at the play’s beginning that she intends to kill herself.

Audra McDonald, the Broadway powerhouse last seen out-belting Carrie Underwood in NBC’s live Sound of Music, is in talks to play the daughter, which means that Oprah has chosen basically the most formidable partner possible for her Broadway debut. Producer Scott Sanders wouldn’t confirm which project Oprah was eyeing, but talked with the Times about why the most powerful woman in media wanted to commit herself to the stage:

“Oprah has had a longstanding desire to act on Broadway. She understands how unique and challenging performing live on stage will be as an actress. She and I have been looking at a number of plays and roles in order to find material and a character that truly resonate with her. We’ve recently read something that we’re both excited about but are not yet ready to officially announce the specifics.”

The play would be produced for the 2015-2016 season. For those of you counting at home, Oprah has won 12 Daytime Emmys, two Primetime Emmys, and received the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Oscar; a Tony award for ‘night, Mother would put her just one audiobook Grammy nomination away from the coveted EGOT. Not that we’re getting ahead of ourselves or anything.